By King & Wood Mallesons’ Trademark Group

Registering a foreign celebrity’s name as a trademark is an occurrence frequently seen in China. From Leonardo da Vinci and Air Jordan in the past to the rising NBA star Jeremy Lin, it has become a shortcut for companies to quickly occupy the market by using the foreign celebrities’ names as their trademarks.

The name right refers to the right of a citizen to decide, use and alternate the name by himself and to require others to respect his name. Article 31 of the PRC Trademark Law (the "Trademark Law") provides that protection on prior rights has covered protection on the name right. In addition, Article 10 of the Trademark Law provides that trademark registration should not be detrimental to social morals or customs, or have other harmful influences. These provisions also reflect the legislative intent to protect name rights. Specifically, the Trademark Examination Criteria provides that, without authorization, if registering another’s name as a trademark has caused or may cause damage to the name right of other, the mark shall be disapproved or cancelled from registration. The following conditions shall be met when applying under the above rule: a) the disputed mark is the same as the name of an individual; b) The registration of the disputed mark has caused or may cause damage to the name right of that individual. The names include legal names, pen names, and nick names. If using a name to register a mark may be detrimental to social morals or customs or cause other harmful influences, it shall be subject to the provisions under Article 10.

Continue Reading Protecting Name Rights of Foreign Celebrities under Trademark Law in China

作者：金杜律师事务所商标组

将国外名人姓名申请注册为商标，在我国已是屡见不鲜。从已故的达芬奇、到尚健在的乔丹、刚刚崛起的林书豪，似乎将国外名人姓名注册商标已经成为经营者迅速打开并占领市场的捷径,当然也成为一些商标职业抢注者牟利的目标。

姓名权是公民依法享有的决定、使用、变更自己的姓名并要求他人尊重自己姓名的一种人格权利。《商标法》第31条有关保护在先权利的规定就包含了对姓名权的保护，此外《商标法》第10条第一款第(八)项有关申请注册商标不得有害于社会主义道德风尚或者有其他不良影响的规定也一定程度上体现了对名人姓名权的保护。具体来说，根据《商标审理标准》的规定：未经许可，将他人的姓名申请注册商标，给他人姓名权造成或者可能造成损害的，系争商标应当不予核准注册或者予以撤销。该条适用要件：（1）系争商标与他人姓名相同；（2）系争商标的注册给他人姓名权造成或者可能造成损害。他人的姓名包括本名、笔名、艺名、别名等。认定系争商标是否损害他人姓名权，应当考虑该姓名权人在社会公众当中的知晓程度。使用姓名申请注册商标，妨害公序良俗或者有其他不良影响的，依据《商标法》第十条第一款第（八）项的规定进行审查。

Continue Reading 商标法对国外名人姓名权的保护

作者：张守志 胡科 徐贝贝  金杜律师事务所争议解决组

在仲裁中，仲裁庭作出终局的仲裁裁决，意味着双方当事人提交仲裁处理的实体法律关系有了最终的、具有约束力的判断，一般也意味着纠纷中有了赢家和输家。在这种情况下，当事人还愿意通过和解解决争议的，少之又少。但在争议标的金额巨大，双方当事人仍有合作的需要和愿望的情况下，达成和解对双方当事人都是非常明智的选择。在2011年，我们就成功办理了两起在境外仲裁裁决作出后，双方当事人通过自愿协商达成和解的案件。

两起案件的基本情况如下：

Continue Reading 境外仲裁裁决作出后的和解

By Zhang Shouzhi Hu Ke and Xu Beibei    King & Wood Mallesons’ Dispute Resoution Group

A final arbitral award is the final and binding conclusion of the substantial dispute submitted to arbitration by the parties. It defines the winner and the loser of the game. In few occasions would the parties be willing to settle their disputes after an award has been rendered. However, settlement is still a wise choice when the disputed amount is huge, and the parties still have the will.

In 2011, we assisted 2 separate clients in negotiating amicable settlements after the arbitral awards were rendered in offshore arbitrations. We provide below a brief description of the two cases:

Continue Reading Post-Award Settlement for International Arbitration

By King & Wood Mallesons’ Trademark Group

Currently, trademark protection is becoming one of the hottest topics in China. The latest headlines include the NBA star Michael Jordan suing the Chinese sportswear and footwear manufacture Qiaodan Sports Joint Stock Company for the alleged infringement over his name right, the preemptive registration of the mark "LIN SHU HAO (Jeremy Lin’s Chinese name)", and the domain name "lingshuhao.com" being for sale at a high price.

These trademark-related cases have drawn great attention among scholars and China’s online community (often referred to as "netizens"). Most netizens gave their opinions in a rational manner and appealed for fair treatment over the parties involved within the purview of relevant laws and regulations. Some netizens acknowledged that China has changed from a single and occlusive market to an open and international one and the interaction and competition with foreign companies are more intensified than before. China will be left far behind if the market lacks honesty and legal rules.

Continue Reading Viewing IP Protection in China through Preemptive Trademark Registration

作者：金杜律师事务所商标组

当下，商标权是中国最热门的话题之一，最新的主要事件有美国篮球明星迈克尔•乔丹状告中国运动服和鞋类生产商乔丹体育股份有限公司涉嫌侵犯其姓名权，“林书豪”的商标在中国已被抢注，而一家域名为“lingshuhao.com”的网站正在寻求转让。

系列商标事件引起了中国网民和相关学者的强烈关注。多数网民都以理性的态度加入探讨，并呼吁严格按照相关法律解决问题。有网民表示，如今中国已经从单一、封闭市场转向开放的国际化平台，与海外企业的互动和竞争都会随之提升，没有诚信和法制注定被世界所抛弃。

Continue Reading 从多起”商标抢注事件”看当前中国知识产权保护问题

By James Rowland  King & Wood Mallesons Dispute Resolution Group

I.    Background

The Claimants were three Singaporean companies which had been set up to hold shares in a number of sino-foreign joint ventures established under JV contracts governed by PRC law (the “JVs”). The fourth claimant was the parent company of the first three claimants, and had entered into a Services Agreement with the general manager of the JVs (the “Services Agreement”). He was in turn the chairman and legal representative of each of the JVs and of each of their Chinese shareholders. The Service Agreement was governed for the most part by PRC law, although it contained a non-competition clause governed by English law.

The Defendants were the BVI shareholders in a number of Chinese enterprises (the “Non-JVs”) which had been gradually assimilated into the JVs’ manufacturing supply-chain. After many years both the JVs and Non-JVs were operating as an integrated manufacturing and sales business.

Continue Reading Freezing China Assets through the BVI Courts–A British Virgin Islands (BVI) case demonstrates some of the difficulty of obtaining interim relief in arbitration as well as in parallel civil litigation

作者：罗必成 金杜律师事务所争议解决组

一、    背景

在达能亚洲诉金朝有限公司案中，原告为三家新加坡公司，设立这三家公司的目的是为了通过其进而持有多家中外合资公司的股份，这些中外合资公司依照中国法律签订中外合资合同而设立（“合资公司”）。第四位原告是上述三家公司的母公司，其与合资公司的总经理签订立了“服务协议”。协议签订后，该总经理同时担任各家合资公司及其中方股东的董事长及法人代表。服务协议中除了竟业禁止条款适用英国法，其它大部分内容仍适用中国法。

被告为多家中国公司（“非合资公司”）的英属维京群岛（British Virgin Islands，“BVI”）的股东， 这些非合资公司逐渐被合资公司的制造供应链吸收，多年来这些合资公司与非合资公司一直以生产销售一体化的方式运营。

Continue Reading 通过BVI法院冻结中国资产–以BVI案件为例解析在境外仲裁及平行民事诉讼中寻求申请临时令救济禁令的风险

By He Wei  King & Wood Mallesons’ Dispute Resolution Group

I.    Introduction

Although Chinese enterprises are often engaged in disputes arising out of international fertilizer transactions, generally a large number of these enterprises are struggling, since they are unacquainted with international dispute resolution mechanisms, and the numerous highly technical issues that are involved in relevant international sale contracts. However, in January 2009, a Chinese fertilizer company obtained the first ever victory in offshore arbitration, in which expert witnesses played an important role.

Continue Reading The First Victory for PRC Fertilizer Enterprises in Offshore Arbitration

作者：何薇  金杜律师事务所争议解决组

一、    前言

由于不熟悉国际贸易争议解决机制，并且国际化肥买卖合同中往往涉及诸多专业性较强的技术问题，很多中国企业在解决此类国际贸易纠纷时举步维艰。然而，2009年1月，中国某化肥类企业首次在境外仲裁中取得胜诉。在该案中，专家证人的证言成为决定性因素。

Continue Reading 首例中国化肥业”走出去”案件在境外仲裁中取得胜诉